Area Sports by Michael Dashiell

Mark Textor figures there is no simple recipe for the success Sequim tennis has had in recent years.

"Part of it is the senior citizen community that has embraced our boys; (our players) get a chance to learn from our seniors," Textor says, watching Sequim blank another opponent - this time, the Port Townsend-Chimacum team - on Friday afternoon.

Since moving to the split boys-girls seasons nine years ago, the Wolves' boys have lost just eight matches and boast a 95-8 match record. The girls' team has done nearly as well, boasting an 87-13 record in those years.

"Part of it is the character, the type of kids we get turning out," Textor says.

"They are good students and self-disciplined. Part of it is a really good run of athletes."

On Monday afternoon,

Sequim topped North Mason to complete the fall 2009 season with a 12-0 mark, the team's fourth undefeated season in nine years and their fifth outright league title.

"This is the best team I've had," Textor says. "A lot of them play tennis on their own. They just enjoy playing the game."

The Sequim coach noted that the Wolves' record is even more impressive beyond the numbers.

"We consistently beat teams who have (tennis) clubs nearby," Textor says. Though Sequim boasts little rainfall that makes year-round tennis possible, he says the winter conditions here aren't conducive for working on one's game.

Turns out these Wolves are good in any conditions.

Sequim plays at the Olympic League tournament in North Mason on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 16-17. The top five singles players and top five doubles players advance to the West Central District tournament in May, when the Olympic League girls' tennis season culminates.

Textor says he expects two Sequim singles players and two doubles teams to advance, and possibly three in each bracket if all goes well.

The league tournament features five teams.



Sequim tops

combo team

Adding Cowboys didn't help. Port Townsend's tennis squad combined with Chimacum's Cowboys for regular season play this fall, but it didn't turn the proverbial tide against a Sequim team that typically dominates the Redskins in team play.

Sequim won all six matches in straight sets and accepted a forfeit in singles play, topping the Port Townsend-Chimacum team 7-0 on

Oct. 9.

Waylon Lam won his first match as Sequim's No. 1 singles player, topping Benny Ryweck 6-3 and 6-1 while the Wolves' No. 2 singles player Joe Puntenney netted a 6-1, 7-5 against Egan Cornachione.

Textor says Lam and Puntenney will join David Richards as singles players at the Olympic League tourney this week.

In doubles action, Reed Gunstone and Mallory Maloney dispatched Luke Coppenrath and Perry Pearsall in two sets (6-1, 6-0), as did Byron Boots and Michael Lee in their No. 2 doubles match versus Carlos Burleson and Kurt Maegerle (6-3, 6-0).

Evan Hill and Kelvin Li won in No. 3 doubles while Richards and Andrew Gunstone won in No. 4 doubles.

Maloney and Reed Gunstone, who took fifth at last year's class 2A state tourney, are pairing up again for a run at the state championship while Boots and Lee are combining for the league and district tournaments.

Beyond that, Textor says, he and the team still are working on which players will compete in singles and which will pair off for doubles for the postseason.



Bucs

bucked

The Wolves made quick work of the Kingston Buccaneers on Oct. 7, dispatching the second-year school 7-0.

Puntenney, Lam and Richards each earned straight-set victories.

Maloney and Reed Gunstone downed top Kingston duo Eric Reichert and Brady Sundquist, 6-1 and 6-0.

Boots and Lee also had a straight-set win in No. 2 doubles.

In their first No. 3 doubles match of the season, Hill and Li needed three sets to top Kingston's Richie Sander and Trevor Shuey.

Andrew Gunstone and David Lopes picked up a No. 4 doubles victory.



Sequim nets win

vs. Klahowya

The Wolves continued their dominance of this Olympic League foe, losing just one set in a 7-0 win against Klahowya's Eagles on Oct. 5.

Puntenney earned a perfect 6-0, 6-0 win against No. 1 Eagle Boyd Walking while Richards needed three sets to top Marc Barbosa (4-6, 6-2, 6-3). Lam won in straight sets in No. 3 singles.

Maloney and Reed Gunstone topped Klahowya's No. 1 doubles team of Phil Alessi and Joe Valley, 6-3 and 6-0.

Boots and Lee won in No. 2 doubles, topping Bo Nugent and Cory Stewart 6-2 and 6-1.



Reach Michael Dashiell at miked@sequimgazette.com.



Another year of excellence

Since breaking away from the mixed-gender format in 2000, Sequim's boys' tennis squad has racked up an impressive record in the past nine years, winning or sharing eight league titles and a 107-8 overall mark.

Year Record State berths

2001-02 13-0* none

2002-03 15-0* none

2003-04 14-0* none

2004-05 9-3 none

2005-06 11-1* 1 (doubles)

2006-07 10-1** 1 (doubles)

2007-08 12-2** 1 (doubles)

2008-09 11-1** 2 (1 single, 1 doubles)

2009 12-0* ???? (decided in May 2010)

Total 95-8 (.922) 4 doubles, 1 singles

* - league champion (or tie) ** - 2A league champions